There will be a question at the end of this rant but before I pose the question I'll need to set the stage (or in this case, the table.) I decided today during my running around that I would stop in one of my favorite restaurants and have lunch. I was seated and had with me a book I thought I'd read while I waited. I was in a booth and by myself and across the way and down a few booths there was a young couple (maybe 25 or so) with a three or four year old. They too were trying to have lunch but unfortunately, the child was having no part of it. I think I counted just shy of fifty "No, Davey, stop that, Davey, don't pull my hair Davey, take the crayons out of your soda Davey--really, stop that Davey." Each time the child was corrected he began to wail like a broken siren and the louder he got the more mom and dad placated him with soda. Oh the irony.

I gave up on reading because there was no concentrating and once the food arrived at their table, it got worse. At that point, Davey simply came unhinged and in a tantrum fueled blur of food and drink, proceeded to throw things, yell, cry when scolded, and in general just act out.

There was no reaching him, no talking him down. At several points he tried to make a run for it and though I wished him well, mom and dad caught him, scooped up their little bundle of wailing pride and joy and plopped him back down where he started all over again.

So, my question is this:

Isn't there a line? I am not a parent but I was a kid and I know that such behavior would never have been tolerated. So, to you parents out there--am I being a jerk to expect a little more civility? This was not an infant--this was a toddler.

Anyway, just curious what others think? I know, I could have left and I know that in the grand scheme of things this is not a big deal at all. But on some level doesn't this just embarrass mom and dad--even a little?

-Drew

No Drew you are not ajerk to complain.... I think parents that allow their children to display behavior like that, no matter what age... should remove their child from the situation... and not subject the public to it .... if they stay there and continue to disrupt .... I am thinking they are probably loving the attention.

It seems like it would be emberasses...

Providing that the child does'nt suffer from anything and is
normal- I would of probbley taken him out and home.
Some children suffer disorders and it is hard to get them to sit still at times.

I am thankful mine were well behaved when they were little.
I took them everywhere. They knew to be good though- because
thats what they were taught.

Perhaps this couple were in training still with the child?

It is embarassing , but at some point I would have asked for the check and taken my son home. My son however never behaved in this manner when he was a child. He knew that when I said no, it meant no.

Haha I took my son to a restaurant once and he threw a pickle it hit the next table of lawyers!!!! They laughed......I was embarrassed and left the restaurant!!!

i remember being like that child, until i heard the words
"wait till i get you home" ouch
worked wonders

First....I'd be mortified if my kids acted that way..I would not take them in public till they knew how to behave and if they did get out of line..I don't play around it would have been hey..you,me=bathroom..wtf's the problem!

LMAO.....lucky you didn't get sued.......

It was years before I could take him anywhere!!! He once had a meltdown in Mcdonalds!!! He was glued to the plastic ronald mcdonald and wouldnt let go.......we had to go.......I swear the entire restaurant stopped talking and stared!!!

I see this kind of thing EVERY time I go to McDonald's, or the grocery store, or the mall, or....pretty much everywhere. The triumph of biology over intellect and common sense.

I'm with ouchie! My son and I would have taken a trip to the ladies room where no one can hear you scream! After a couple of times all I had to do was give him that "look" and he knew he better knock it off.

I only had to take my son, in the middle of dinner, out to the van for some 'talking'

needless to say, everytime he decided to take it up a notch, one 'would you like to go out to the van with me?' quieted him down

I do have lines with my boys, and they know where they are and what will happen when they cross them

Above all, when they stay inside the lines, all is good and FUN, outside the lines, not so much

I have a real hard time with kids not behaving..
I only have 1 daughter now 13yrs. old.
I know when we were kids not that we went out to eat alot, even in public I don't think we EVER acted the way alot of kids do today...
OMG! My sister has a son same age as mine.
He is still a total jerk!
They never say anything to him...
On my birthday we went down to the beach where they were camping & we went to the cafe on the water, My nephew & his friend played in their soda's, played in their food, ordered $18.00 dinners & didn't hardly eat them.
I kept looking at my mom & she just looked away..
In general they are spoiled.
I tell my daughter if you ever act like that I will BEAT YOU!
Not that I've ever hit her!
Just the idea of kids being so disrespectful OMG!!!

My mom was talking about a lil gurl that was running wild some place they went to eat.
A buffet & the kid was under people carry plates.
The people bringing the big pans of hot food out..
& the parents didnt say anything..
She went all the way out the back door!!
Then the dad finally went & got her & when the mom came up by then she grabbed the mom's hair & pulled it!!!

OMG!!!

Its not called the terrible twos for nothing!!!! Except mine was a late bloomer and was a hellion at 3!!!! Still......I wish he was young again..

lol there is alot to be said for the "evil eye"..my baby is 6'4 and still cringes when i shot him that one ;)

Yeah, save for some medical condition that lends itself to hurling food at people, I thought I was pretty much in line to suggest that a bit more could be expected of Davey's parents. I know I wasn't always the most well behaved kid, but there were rules and there were consequences for "failure to observe."

-Drew

at some time they should have consideration for the people around them
i have three kids-- all teens now, however they never had a fit
they seem to walk all over me now, but they still know when i mean business

My son is 22 and although he still calls me Momma, (he tried Ma oce but it didnt fly well) and he is gay......I'm a Momma fruit fly. He still doesn't listen to me unless he comes home crying. Then I have total control.whoohahahaha

At the same time drew.......you may be the best parent and your kid could turn into a hellion as well!!!! Until you have kids of your own, you will never know what you will do!